Recently, a friend of mine, knowing my interest in Photography and Graflex camera's asked me to appear at an office party and pretend to be a press photographer for the local newspaper, and wanted me to dress in the style of the era when press photographer's wore the hat's with the "press pass" stuck in the brim of the hat.

Which is ironic because I worked for the local evening paper (now defunct) in the early 70's as the night "police beat" photographer, as the more senior man was older and didn't like getting up in the middle of the night to cover a story, and I was younger and didn't mind, so I kept a tunable police radio set to the local fire channel, and would wake up when there was a lot of units toned out, such as a building fire, however I wore the casual attire of that era and not a suit and tie.

Anyway, the reason for this post is to get some ideas as to what the press photographer's wore back in the 50's, when more men wore suits and hat's, and the reason I asked about the 50's is because I'll be using my late 50's top RF Crown Graphic for these events and wanted to be more or less authentic to that time period, however I'm starting to realize that perhaps men's hat's were not as popular in the 50's as in the 40's, so I may need to break down and buy an earlier example of a Graflex 4 x 5 press camera (as if I needed an excuse to buy another camera).

Now I can pretty much figure out that they were working class blokes and didn't wear "top drawer" threads, so I would imagine a simple cut suit, one color for the coat and pants (probably dark blue, gray or brown), a wider style tie, a pair of wing tip shoes and what I think might be a simple "fedora" style hat, perhaps in the same color.

I was planning on shopping the local thrift stores for inexpensive, but clean examples of the above item's for these "appearances" and purchase these item's (hopefully at little cost), so that I might make an appearance at events dressed as a press photographer and actually take pictures with my Crown Graphic and flashgun.

So I am greatly interested in any history or memories that you might have about this idea, any pictures that you might have of the earlier press photographer's working their craft, and perhaps any stories you might have of having worked as a press photographer, or perhaps someone you knew who did.

I enjoy reading about "Graflex Sid" from the UK (and others) taking their Graflex camera's out to shoot public events and the reaction that these camera's cause when seen by bystanders, so I'm thinking that dressing as an old time press photographer and carrying a working Graflex press camera just might be quite a bit of fun for me, and perhaps for some of you, and with the holidays coming up and parties being held, who knows, perhaps the local newspaper might print some of your photo's with a byline, and perhaps a short story saying that the photo was shot with a Graflex press camera.

And now, a fashion lesson from my fiancee, who studies fashion from the first half of the 20th century as a hobby:

"A 1950's men's suit would have small cuffs and pleats in the pants legs, and be single-breasted with small lapels. '50s ties are narrow, not wide - they were wide for '40s zoot suits, but fashion became very conservative in the '50s. You can go crazy with the ties - guys would wear very conservative suits with narrow ties done in flamboyant colors and prints and even hand-painted portraits of naked ladies.

"Men still wore hats; they didn't become unpopular until the '60s. They were still almost mandatory if you were wearing a suit, but remember to remove it when indoors. If you have a choice of fedora, one with a narrower brim is more appropriate to the '50s. Wider ones are very Humphrey Bogart '40s. Everything in menswear got narrower in the '50s."

A nice wool felt hat will be $30 new at a suit store or the men's department of JC Penney (especially at this time of year; nobody carries them in the summer). The suit will be harder to find cheap, but check ebay. Mine was deadstock from a store that closed in the '60s, with original tags, and cost $35*.

I greatly appreciate your time in this matter and the valuable information that you imparted, these suggestions on the clothing will make it easier for me to shop around for the most appropriate attire for wearing at these appearances.

I was pretty much right about the suit and trousers, but was off on the tie for some reason, and you were right about the 50's being very conservative, I was, but a lad during this time, but fondly remember going downtown on the bus with my grandmother, and seeing all of the different clothes that people wore, the office workers and the working class folks, and my grandmother would not leave the house until she (and I) were dressed in suitable attire for the trip (harder for me than her).

I spotted a nice gray conservative fedora in a local shop, but sadly it was way to small for me, so I will take your helpful suggestions and start shopping around for an appropriate outfit, and thanks again for your great help with this "project".

Hi,There!
I was doing press work in G.B.during the fifties and everybody like the Americans wore suits,collar & ties...
If you can look at old newsreels of perhaps Marilyn Monroe & see the 'snappers' there.

Nobody wore HATS,a myth the film companies & media thought up,like having press tickets in the hats,something out of superman comics Im afraid.

Yes,WEEGEE wore a hat occasionally,more likely to keep his head warm while parading the streets looking for stories-but then his era was 30's & 40's.No press ticket in hat.

I first wondered about the hat with the press pass and had received differing opinions (other than here) from persons older than I about whether they were actually worn or not in days past.

I too thought that it might be a "myth" that was dreamed up by the media, and I am sure that is indeed the case here, but as with some myths, there might be a slight truth to it, as it is possible that "some" press photographers might have worn hat's with the press pass stuck in the crown ribbon for mere convenience at being recognized at Police and Fire lines.

And as this image is the one that the general public thinks of when they think of a press photographer, then I will probably continue to look for the type of hat that Baker suggested and print up some type of simple "Press Pass" that I can stick in the crown ribbon of the hat so as to round out the look of the complete outfit.

At any rate it ought to be interesting to see the final result, not to mention the journey along the way.

I'm trying to come up with a good way to pull the same gag the Three Stooges did.
When they needed to get through the turnsitles and saw the press people (photogs and writers) did ii,they ran into the men's room. A few minutes later they got in line....
Larry showed the guy part of a faucet and said "press"
Moe did the same.
Curly of course got the wrong faucet and said "pull"

Thank you for a welcome comedy reminder, for when I'm upset, depressed or just "plain out of sorts" I like to watch the "real stars of real comedy" for in my opinion (and other's have the right to differ), what commonly passes for humor nowadays cannot hold a candle to the likes of the great old comedy routines that the Three Stooges did, not to mention Abbott & Costello, Amos & Andy, Laurel & Hardy and so forth.

They got the point across in skits with language that children could listen to and the sight and sound gags were works of art and still are, and it's a lesson that the modern comedy writers could copy a page or two from for their routines.

Hi,there!
I think you will find the large letters:PRESS were only used on a card that fitted into the hat band.My comic day's reminds me.

With WEEGEE he did'nt bother,just that black anniversary that went forth before him was good enough-anyway,because of his police radio in the car,he was the first on the scene in anycase at the crime scene.

If your wearing a 'trench coat'make sure the collar is turned up...why,I don't know,like the press card,collars up were the fashion of the media shutterbugs...a sort of George Raft character.

Oh,and remember loads of 'Camel'cigarettes along with mountains of flashbulbs,if using your flashgun...plus your plateholders.

You will need a few days in the Gym to work out before this...weighed down and lots of coughing..Oh,and don't forget your gum,chum!.

...and may you have a good time-after your Hollywood make-over you should be the toast of the event.